General Pigeon Information for Beginners

Keeping pigeons can be an exciting and
satisfying hobby. As with all new adventures, reading
and researching ahead of ordering and receiving pigeons
is the best plan for success. We have a variety of books
on managing pigeons geared toward the hobbyist. The
books are listed in the catalog and on the website. (View
our Pigeon & Dove Books Section)

There are 3 fundamental groupings of pigeons:
performance breeds, fancy breeds and utility breeds.
Additional management techniques may vary based on the
type of pigeon you order.

Housing for pigeons can vary. Understanding
pigeon behavior will enable you to construct your own
loft or modify an existing structure. There is no single
loft plan. This is why additional reading and reference
books are essential. Housing structures for racing birds
will be different than those for the fancy and utility
birds.

Well designed lofts include a secure building
with a floor and protection from predators; interior
nest boxes/aviary space; exterior landing board &
trap; ventilation system and storage space for feed
& equipment. Loft size varies based on the number
of birds you plan to keep. In general, allow 8-10 cubic
feet of air space for each pair. You may want to have
separate interior aviary space for young birds, breeding
birds and older birds. These following books, available
in our catalog or on the website will have additional
information you need to plan a loft and manage your
birds. #PGS
Guide to Raising Pigeons, #PG
The Pigeon Guide, #WTP
The Will to Prepare, #PPL
Pigeons for Pleasure and Profit and #PDD
Pigeons, Doves and Dovecotes.

Always house new arrivals in a quiet area
away from your other birds for about 2 weeks. Your birds
will need time to recover from the stress of shipping.
Your birds have been de-wormed prior to shipping with a
broad spectrum de-wormer. Pigeons are sent Express Mail
via the US Postal service.

Our pigeons are banded. The fancy and
utility breeds will be banded with a sealed pigeon band
from the National Pigeon Association. The race teams
will be banded with an American Racing Union. We send young, non-mated and
un-flown birds. (We
carry Pigeon Bands too)

The photos online and in the catalog
are of our pigeons. There is always variation in color
reproduction and more importantly not every bird hatched
is an exact replica of a general picture. Young bird
plumage is often different than adult plumage. Keep
these factors in mind when ordering and receiving young
birds.

Pigeons are becoming an increasingly popular
hobby. In addition to the books we offer, there are
reliable websites by many pigeon organizations where
you can find additional information.

One of the most common beginner questions
is how to sex pigeons. Behavior is the clue, although
even the experts can be fooled. The male is usually
larger and heavier than the hen.
Both sexes coo and set on eggs. In general, the male
sets on eggs morning to mid afternoon, the hen the remainder
of the day. The male bows and scrapes: bowing his head
toward the ground, while scraping his tail feathers
on the ground. Observing mating is another way to determine
male and female.

Another common question is about the performance
behavior. Spinning/rolling involve backwards somersaults
with a vertical drop. Tumbling is turning sideways at
the same altitude. Young birds have the genetic propensity
to perform but need opportunity to practice and increase their skill.

We cannot emphasize this enough. Reading
and preparation on the part of the hobbyist is going
to make this a successful hobby. We rely on you to be
ready to care and enjoy these birds upon their arrival.